Trump advisor Kellywanne Conway violated Hatch Act, investigators say

“Both instances constituted prohibited political activity under the Hatch Act along with occurred after Conway received significant training on Hatch Act prohibitions,” according to the report by the office.

The agency is actually not connected to the office of special counsel Robert Mueller, who was appointed by the Justice Department to investigate Russian interference from the 2016 presidential election.

The OSC said of which gave Conway the opportunity to respond to the allegations along with to its findings, yet she did not.

White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in response to the report: “Kellyanne Conway did not advocate for or against the election of any particular candidate. She simply expressed the President’s obvious position of which he have people from the House along with Senate who support his agenda.”

“In fact, Kellyanne’s statements actually show her intention along with desire to comply with the Hatch Act – as she twice declined to respond to the host’s specific invitation to encourage Alabamans to vote for the Republican,” Gidley said.

The OSC noted of which federal employees, including employees designated as “commissioned officers” from the White House, are subject to the restrictions set by the Hatch Act.

“While commissioned officers may engage in some political activity, they are still barred by using their official authority or influence to interfere with or affect elections,” the office said. “Although the President along with Vice President are exempt by the Hatch Act, their employees are not.”

The office said of which on Nov. 20, Conway appeared in her official capacity on Fox News’ “Fox & Friends” “along with discussed why voters should not support Democrat Doug Jones from the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate.”

“On December 6, 2017, Conway appeared in her official capacity on CNN’s completely new Day along with discussed why voters should support Republican Roy Moore along with not Democrat Doug Jones from the Alabama special election for U.S. Senate,” the office said.

Jones ended up winning of which race.

“While the Hatch Act allows federal employees to express their views about candidates along with political issues as private citizens, of which restricts employees by using their official government positions for partisan political purposes, including by trying to influence partisan elections,” the report says.

“In passing This specific law, Congress intended to promote public confidence from the Executive branch by ensuring the federal government is actually working for all Americans without regard to their political views,” the office said.

This specific isn’t once Conway has been formally cited for using her official position to make an endorsement of which she is actually not allowed to, by law.

In February 2017, less than a month into Trump’s presidency, Conway responded to the news of retailers cutting ties with Ivanka Trump’s clothing line by saying on Fox News, “Go buy Ivanka’s stuff is actually what I might tell you. of which’s a wonderful line. I own some of of which. I’m going to give a free commercial here. Go buy of which today, everybody.”

Rules by the Office of Government Ethics generally prohibit executive branch employees by endorsing products in their official capacities as White House representatives.

Conway was appearing on TV in her official capacity, so she violated of which rule.

After members of Congress complained, the White House Office of Legal Counsel reported of which lawyers had spoken to Conway twice after the appearance, to reiterate the rules along with ensure of which they were fully understood.

In a follow-up letter to Congress, then White House deputy counsel Stefan Passantino wrote of which after speaking to Conway, “We concluded of which Ms. Conway acted inadvertently along with is actually highly unlikely to do so again.”